As the only force standing between her tribe and total extinction, War Mother must protect every man, woman, and child…no matter the cost…as she braves the long journey across the mutant-infested jungles and irradiated steppes once known as South America. But when this sworn guardian discovers that the new homeland she seeks might not be the haven it was promised to be, she’ll have to save her people from the one thing she never could have anticipated: themselves!

Join New York Times best-selling writer Fred Van Lente (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and explosive artist Stephen Segovia (NINJAK) as they send War Mother on her darkest mission yet…and bring her first high-powered solo series to a brutal breaking point!

• Between battling a horde of Chitauri, keeping Alpha Flight afloat and fighting off the raging HLA monster insider her, Carol Danvers has been stretched a little thin. • Though she desperately needs to unwind, there’s no time for recreational asteroid punching today… • Not when Earth’s fate rests in the hands a few Alpha Flight Cadets…

It’s Wednesday which means new comic book day with new releases hitting shelves, both physical and digital, all across the world. We’ve got three more volumes from DC Comics covering a wide range of genres.

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Now that 2016 is in the history books (thank the fucking gods), it’s time to have a look back at some of the comics and events that really stood out for me, personally. These comics were all released this year, and in the case of a limited series if had at least two issues released this year (if a mini-series began late this year, then expect to find it on next year’s list – if it’s any good). Remember that this is all based on what I’ve read, and if your favourite comic isn’t here, it may be because I may not have read it, not because I didn’t like it.

First up there’ll be your standard Best Of categories of Ongoing Series, Mini/One Shot, Single Issue, Writer, Artist, and Colourist, then we’ll move on to a few other things I wanted to talk about.

Best Ongoing Comic

Last year I had a hell of a time with this one, so thankfully this year was much easier. Although I could have made a case for almost any of the comics listed below (and, like last year I’m still wishing I had decided on a “top five” for this category without an overall winner), at the end of the day there really was only one comic that would end up here.

Wrath Of The Eternal Warrior (Valiant) – The final issue came out in December, so technically this isn’t an ongoing anymore, and while I’ll miss the shit out of it in 2017, it sits in the top spot for 2016 (because it was an ongoing in 2016). This was THE book of the year for me without question; although the first issue felt a lot slower than I expected, this quickly morphed into the one series I couldn’t wait to read. Robert Venditti has crafted fourteen of the most exciting, and compelling, issues about Valiant‘s immortal soldier I have ever read as he finds a way to have Gilad deal with death – and failure – in a way I haven’t seen anywhere before.

Venditti also built this series in layers as he dropped lines of dialogue and exposition in one comic that you’d be forgiven for missing, but once the inevitable pay off happened it was something special. For an action comic, Wrath Of The Eternal Warrior made you think quite a bit, and I loved every fucking moment (even the first issue after a reread six months later).

Honourable Mentions:

Faith(Ongoing) (Valiant) Narrowly missing the top spot, Faith has had a fantastic cast of artists joining Jody Houser all year, with each one bringing something wonderful to the table. This is a series that every comic fan should check out.

All-Star Batman (DC) Scott Snyder proves once more why he’s my favourite living Batman writer, and I actually enjoyed John Romita Jr’s art for the first time in a while.

X-O Manowar (Valiant) Another Venditti penned series, this had arguably the best concluding arc of any long running series I’ve read in a long time.

Best Limited Series or One Shot

Voracious (Action Lab) I could tell you so many reasons why you should read this emotional tale about a time traveling chef who hunts dinosaurs, whether it’s Markisan Naso’s fantastic dialogue (and his recipes) or the wonderful artwork by Jason Muhr and colourist Andrei Tabacaru. I could tell you that comics like this are the reason you should pay attention to indie comics publishers, because if you don’t you’ll be missing out on some of the best stories the year. But I won’t; instead I’ll tell you tell you all the reasons why you shouldn’t read this:

Honourable Mentions:

Klaus (BOOM!) But not The Witch Of Winter. That was fucking awful, and it’s better if you pretend it didn’t exist.

Divinity II (Valiant)

Faith: Hollywood and Vine (Valiant)

Batman / Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (DC/IDW) All my childhood dreams came true with this six issue miniseries that I was expecting to suck. It didn’t! It was actually really good.

Best Single Issue

There’s no honourable mentions because there was nothing remotely close to Faith #3: (Valiant) for me this year. That’s #3 from the Hollywood And Vine miniseries, not the currently ongoing series

There was never a question of this comic not being the best single issue of 2016, and its almost entirely down to the scene where Faith literally bursts from a closet. Everything about that sequence, from her internal monologue to the character’s reactions were just perfect. I still think about that moment nearly a year later, and it still sends chills down my spine.

Best Writer

I didn’t read a bad comic written by this man all year. Obviously, some were better than others, and I didn’t read everything that Venditti put out, but what I did read was always fantastic – and you’ve probably already noticed my love for Venditti earlier on this list.

Best Artist

Meghan Hetrick (Red Thorn, Faith)

In a year with some truly amazing artists putting out some beautiful work, from Juan Jose Ryp, Doug Braithwaite and Robert Gill for Valiant, to David Finch, Rafa Sandoval and Patrick Gleason for DC, it was relative newcomer Meghan Hetrick who made my jaw drop with every issue and cover that she drew. Her work on Faith is what sealed her in as my top artist of the year, although her cover to the 4001 A.D. Shadowman tie in is also superb, not to mention Red Thorn. There are few artists whose work I’ll buy regardless of the writer, but Meghan Hetrick is one.

Best Colourist

Jordie Bellaire (Pretty Much Everything)

If you read more than one comic a month this year then you have probably read a comic with Jordie Bellaire’s work. She is one of the most prolific colourists around, and yet her versatility shines with each and every comic. When Jordie Bellaire’s name is on a comic, then you know it’s going to look awesome – regardless of who drew it.

Most Depressingly Canceled Comic

Red Thorn (Vertigo)

Every year comics are canceled prematurely, but Red Thorn The series was great, but sadly the sales figures just weren’t there. Treat yourself when you have a chance and go check this out. You’ll find a wonderfully illustrated tale steeped in Scottish mythology quite unlike almost anything you’ll read this year.

The Comic I Wanted To Read But Never Did

The Vision (Marvel)I have heard nothing but great things about the twelve or so issues of Vision, and yet for some reason, I haven’t picked it up even though I’ve heard it said that this is Tom King’s finest work from 2016. but it was never on my radar because of the characters and setting involved. Maybe I’ll check out the trades at some point.

Biggest Surprises

I) Ben Affleck Was A Fantastic Batman

I hoped going into the movie that Affleck would be decent, and I suspected he would be, but I never expected him to turn in a performance that went right into my top three Batman performances – that took me completely by surprise. The theatrical cut of Batman v Superman wasn’t quite as good as Affleck’s Batman, but because of his acting (and Gal Gadot) I left the theater feeling I’d got my money’s worth.

II) Marvel Actually Finished Civil War II

After the amount of delays this series suffered, I wouldn’t have been surprised had Marvel just quietly shuffled the final issue or two off their publishing schedule. When the next event (and it’s prequel) Inhumans Vs X-Men unintentionallystart before your Big Summer Event is over, you have to ask yourself whether anybody still cares about said summer even .

III)DC RebirthWasn’t A Stonking Pile Of Manure

I honestly had no faith the DC’s latest reboot would be anything other than a quick cash grab with at best mediocre titles. Thankfully, i was very wrong. While there were some average titles, good comics that weren’t for me and the occasional miss, for the most part I’ve enjoyed every comic under the “Rebirth” banner (and I’ve read them all for Graphic Policy’s Rebirth Review feature). In fact, the standouts for me came from characters I previously had no time for; Aquaman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the Green Lantern Corp

The Moments That Had Me Grinning Ear To Ear

I)Bill Finger’s Byline

This was the single greatest thing to happen in the comics industry this year in my eyes; Bill Finger was finally acknowledged officially as having something to do with Batman’s creation, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Marc Tyler Nobleman.

Regardless of my thoughts on the movie, seeing Bill Finger’s name here was fantastic.

II) Interviewing Marc Tyler Nobleman

I don’t know what I expected when I reached out to the man who inspired me to write about comics, but talking to him about Bill Finger was an absolute joy.

III) Having My Reviews Quoted On Comics

This year was the first time I saw one of my reviews quoted on the cover of a comic, and it was a moment that I won’t forget anytime soon (the comic was Red Thorn #3 if you wondered). Since then I’ve seen my reviews quoted on several Valiant comics, as well. It makes me grin every time.

Well there we have it; a look back at some of the best comics that I read over the year. Agree, or disagree? Let me know!

Cadros and Thorn face each other for the last time, as Isla’s new powers grow explosively and Tarek is forced to make the most important decision of his life. Join us as our story of Pagan Gods, Demigods and Red Caps comes to a close. Who lives, who dies and…will our world survive?

As Los Angeles’ high-flying protector, Faith has inspired the dreams of an entire metropolis… Now get ready to meet its worst nightmare! When an escaped psiot prisoner starts tearing through the streets, Faith must stop her fiery rampage before all hell break loose! But this isn’t just any ordinary threat… Not only can this empowered escapee drain the energy of everything in sight, she’s one of L.A.’s most controversial pop stars to boot!

Faith #6, written by Jody Houser and featuring art by new series artist Meghan Hetrick and Marguerite Sauvageconcludes the Dark Star story begun last issue tht had our hero searching for a girl who may or may not be under the influence of a black cat.

The story is more of a low key affair than some of the others we’ve seen in comics lately, but it’s the low key aspect that allows Houser to focus more on exploring who Faith is, and gives us time to get to know the character on a deeper level. Perhaps my favourite thing about the series so far is that the stories within haven’t been epic multi-part arcs that are written more for the inevitable trade paperback. Dark Star is a two part story that is every bit a complete story – there are the obligatory nods to the wider Valiant universe but nothing that’ll confuse you if you’re only reading this series.

Faith’s internal monologue shows a character who is brilliantly self aware, and frequently verges toward lampooning comic tropes, but never quite crosses over from the homage side of the field – which is a truly entertaining thing to read.

Meghan Hetrick is one of the unsung gems of the art world, and if you have any questions as to why then take a gander at the pages in this comic. They’re stunningly rendered, with Hetrick capturing the subtlest of facial expressions on faces – the joy on Faith’s face as she flies is infectious, and were I able to fly it’s what I imagine my face would look like almost all the time my feet were in the air. Faith #6is a wonderful comic with an ending that’s actually becoming less and less common in comics today; a satisfying conclusion.

Look, if you’re not too fond of the character then this comic probably won’t change that, but for those of us who can’t get enough Faith, then this is going to be exactly what you want.

With Faith #6the creative team have hit another home run – this comic is the best thing I’ve read all week.

As Los Angeles’ high-flying protector, Faith has inspired the dreams of an entire metropolis… Now get ready to meet its worst nightmare! When an escaped psiot prisoner starts tearing through the streets, Faith must stop her fiery rampage before all hell break loose! But this isn’t just any ordinary threat… Not only can this empowered escapee drain the energy of everything in sight, she’s one of L.A.’s most controversial pop stars to boot!

Valiant’s chart-topping superhero is about to add a major new player to her frenemies list, courtesy of breakout writer Jody Houser (Mother Panic) and acclaimed artists Meghan Hetrick (Red Thorn) and Marguerite Sauvage (DC Comics Bombshells)!

Thorn travels to the Otherworld and does not like what he finds there. Tarek takes on a villain, but not the one you’re expecting. Amaka tells us how she managed to survive a threat that would have killed anyone else on Earth…and Ness prepares to do something she’d sworn she never would. The twelfth chapter of Red Thorn answers almost all the questions you’ve been asking all year. Almost.

With just one week to go until the historic presidential election of 2016, Valiant has announced that Faith #5 – a 48-page election special teaming Faith “Zephyr” Herbert with the first female presidential nominee from a major political party – has sold out at the distributor level in advance of its November 2nd street date and will soon return to store shelves with the Faith #5 Second Printing!

The first printing arrives on shelves November 2nd and retailers will receive bonus copies of the Faith #5‘s sold-out first printing in 50% proportion to their orders of Faith #5’s Cover A by Eisner Award-winning artist Paolo Rivera

Packed with 48 pages of all-new content for just $3.99, a major Valiant milestone takes flight right here in an all-star election special for the ages! First, discover the critically acclaimed adventures of Valiant’s most-beloved heroine with AN ALL-NEW JUMPING ON POINT from acclaimed writer Jody Houser and rising star Meghan Hetrick! Then, history is made as Faith and Hillary Clinton rock the vote in a timeless election special tale that only comics legend Louise Simonson and acclaimed artist Pere Perez could tell! And last, but not least, don’t miss a special prelude to Harbinger Renegade #1 – the biggest, most important Valiant debut of 2016 – in a special story from multiple Harvey Award nominee Rafer Roberts and Eisner Award winning artist Colleen Doran that won’t be found anywhere else!

Faith Herbert, star of the highest-selling independent superhero debut of 2016, is a shining beacon of optimism in a challenging world. Her day job as a blogger and journalist is about to bring Faith face to face with Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton…but its her daring alter ego as Los Angeles’ leading superhero that will have to save the day when a new threat emerges to imperil a pivotal moment that has all of America watching!

Faith #5 returns to stores on November 23rd in the Faith #5 Second Printing!

Take a look at the cover to this comic; it’s an image that seems to indicate pretty clearly which candidate Valiant would like to see in the Oval Office next year. While it’s not unheard of for comic book characters to openly follow a specific political ideology, I’m reasonably sure that a publisher hasn’t featured a political figure on the cover before an election.

Now, I haven’t read the comic yet so I don’t know if the cover is indicative of the story within, or not, so I’ll let you read the preview text while I go read the comic.

On November 2nd, just days before Election Day 2016, legendary writer Louise Simonson and Harvey Award-nominated artist Pere Pérez present history in the making with a presidential milestone like no other! Faith Herbert, star of the highest selling independent superhero debut of 2016, is a shining beacon of optimism in a challenging world. Her day job as a blogger and journalist is about to bring Faith face to face with Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton…but its her daring alter ego as Los Angeles’ leading superhero that will have to save the day when a new threat emerges to imperil a pivotal moment that has all of America watching!

Faith #5 is a 48 page issue (still priced at $3.99, so you’ll get your money’s worth) with three stories within its pages; Dark Star (23ish pages), Faith in Politics (10 pages) No Days Off (7 pages) making up the total story content at around 40 pages, give or take. It’s a little harder to tell with the review copy pdf I’m reading, but either way that’s a lot of bang for your buck.

Based on the main cover (to the right), you’d think that the main raw of the comic would be the Faith In Politics, and that’s certainly going to grab the most attention, but it’s actually Dark Star that’s the lead title here, and the first part in the new story arc – so let’s talk about that first, shall we?

Dark Star, written by Jody Houser and featuring art by new series artist Meghan Hetrick and Marguerite Sauvage kicks things off with a story that has hints of a darker undertones beneath the warmer tones of Faith’s inherent goodness and warmth. Although her life doesn’t reach the Peter Parker level of downtrodden misery, Faith still has her real world challenges, as well as those only a superhero could have – especially a superhero who has a boss that knows her secret identity. Getting glimpses of these facets of Faith’s life, and her struggle to balance her secret identity with her desire to help people has been a recurring theme throughout the series so far, but with Faith #5 we also get some insight into how the character inspires other people.

Dark Star is a great opening, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next in the arc. I’m also looking forward to seeing Meghan Hetrick’s take on the character, as her art in this story is fantastic, complementing Marguerite Sauvage’s flashback sequence just as well as previous series artist Pere Perez has done for the last eight issues.

But as good as the lead story is, that’s not the one that’s featured on the cover.

Faith In Politics, the reason for the big Election Special header across the front is. To acknowledge the elephant in the corner, yes it is a pro-Clinton story, and depending on your political ideology, that may be an issue for you, but it doesn’t bother me at all. What does bother me is how the story starts strongly before losing steam significantly, and it’s almost entirely because of the dialogue on the final page or so – not the narration boxes (which actually seem very apolitical) and are simply encouraging readers to go vote on November 8th. The encouragement to vote is a good thing, but it’s marred a little by the dialogue that would feel at home in a cheesy movie as Louise Simonson doesn’t quite deliver the quality of dialogue that we’ve seen previously in the series, but Pere Perez delivers a visual treat.

The final story, No Days Off, continues the Faith Is Inspiring theme, and is a solid backup story. Rafer Roberts hasn’t set the world on fire here but provides a nice bonus for those buying the comic for other reasons – one of which is Colleen Doran‘s artwork, which is always a treat.

While I’m sure that Valiant hope that the inclusion of Hillary Clinton will boost sales and bring in new readers, I’m not unconvinced that the publisher is also just stating where they stand when it comes to the two candidates. It’s just somewhat disappointing that the bold move was done with the weakest story within the comic.

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